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Have further questions? How to apply | Entry requirements
Biochemistry – applying molecular concepts to complex biological systems – is the cutting edge of science in the 21st century.
At Queen Mary, you’ll be taught by world-leading researchers in both biology and chemistry, together in one School. You’ll develop advanced scientific understanding of both disciplines, and improve your practical skills with high-level lab work.
You’ll learn about key biochemical processes and the chemistry that underpins them, as well as studying real-world applications in biotechnology and medicine. Option modules in the second and third years let you direct your studies to the areas that interest you most.
Choose your own pathway through this degree - you can add a year in industry or studying abroad, or carry out an additional year of advanced study to graduate with an MSci.
You can complete your Biochemistry degree in three, four or five years. If you are a BSc student and choose to do a year in industry or study abroad, this will take place in Year 3, and the Year 3 modules will instead be studied in Year 4. If you are an MSci student and choose to study abroad, this will take place in Year 4, and the Year 4 modules will be studied in Year 5.
Foundation
One Year-long double module allocated based on previous maths qualifications:
Semester 1
Semester 2
Please note that all modules are subject to change.
Please note that all modules are subject to change.
One of theses electives should be a CHE module from Semester A (marked with a *)
Please note that all modules are subject to change.
Please note that all modules are subject to change.
Please note that all modules are subject to change.
Apply for this degree with any of the following options. Take care to use the correct UCAS code - it may not be possible to change your selection later.
Want to pick up some solid work experience while practising your skills in a real-world laboratory? Apply for our Biochemistry BSc with a Year in Industry/Research. Some of our students have been awarded highly prestigious work placements with UK and international pharmaceutical companies. During your second year you will identify and apply for a placement opportunity, with one on one support provided by your adviser. If successful, you'll spend your third year working in the pharmaceutical industry or carrying out an extended research project.
Please note that placements are highly competitive and awarded based on your application, academic track record and performance at interview. Should you not succeed in securing a placement, you'll transfer onto our BSc programme and complete your third year at Queen Mary.
Apply for our Biochemistry MSci to spend an extra year undertaking an extended research project and studying advanced modules. Consider this option if you’re interested in a career in academic or industrial research.
Go global and study abroad as part of your degree - apply for our Biochemistry BSc or MSci with a Year Abroad. Queen Mary has links with universities in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia (partnerships vary for each degree programme).
Find out more about study abroad opportunities at Queen Mary and what the progression requirements are.
You can do either a year in industry or a year abroad - you cannot combine these options.
I enjoy the wide range of topics my degree covers: teaching on biology, chemistry and physics is really integrated. This approach helps to develop my scientific understanding of real-life situations. There are lots of opportunities to get hands-on lab experience through both organised module-based labs or independent research projects.
We use a mixture of teaching styles - lectures, tutorials, classroom activities and laboratory work.
A typical weekly workload would be six to eight lectures and four to five hours of practical laboratories or workshops.
Outside of classes, you’ll need to spend 20 to 25 hours per week preparing, writing up and reading.
Each module is assessed by written examinations (typically 75 to 80 per cent of the final mark) and coursework (practical reports, field course reports, essays, problem sheets, online exercises and tests).
Final-year students undertake a research or investigative project, assessed with a detailed written report, poster and interview.
The School offers excellent on-campus resources to aid your studies, including:
| A-Level | Grades ABB at A-Level. This must include A-Level Chemistry. |
| IB | International Baccalaureate Diploma with a minimum of 34 points overall, including 6,5,5 from three Higher Level subjects. This must include Chemistry at Higher Level. |
| BTEC | BTEC qualifications are not considered for entry to this programme. |
| Access HE | We consider applications from students with the Access to Higher Education Diploma in a science discipline e.g. Biology, Chemistry, Maths or Physics. The minimum academic requirement is to achieve 60 credits overall, with 45 credits at Level 3, of which 30 credits must be at Distinction and 15 credits at Merit or higher. Applications are considered on a case by case basis, and we may request an interview. Due to the high volume of applications, we do not make offers of study purely on the basis of meeting grade requirements. |
| GCSE | Minimum five GCSE passes including English and Maths at grade C or 4. |
| EPQ | Alternative offers may be made to applicants taking the Extended Project Qualification. For further information please visit: qmul.ac.uk/undergraduate/entry/epq |
| Contextualised admissions | We consider every application on its individual merits and will take into consideration your individual educational experiences and context. More information on how academic schools and programmes use this information as part of the admissions process, can be found on our contextualised admissions pages. |
| A-Level | Grades CCC at A-Level. This must include A-Level Biology or Chemistry. A second science subject at A-Level from either Biology, Chemistry, Maths, Further Maths, Physics or Psychology is also required. |
| IB | International Baccalaureate Diploma with a minimum of 26 points overall, including 4,4,4 from three Higher Level subjects. This must include Biology or Chemistry at Higher Level. A second science subject at Higher Level of Chemistry, Maths, Further Maths, Physics or Psychology is also required. |
| BTEC | See our detailed subject and grade requirements |
| Access HE | We consider applications from students with the Access to Higher Education Diploma in a science discipline e.g. Biology, Chemistry, Maths or Physics. The minimum academic requirement is to achieve 60 credits overall, with 45 credits at Level 3, of which 15 credits must be at Distinction, 15 credits at Merit and 15 credits at Pass or higher. Applications are considered on a case by case basis, and we may request an interview. Due to the high volume of applications, we do not make offers of study purely on the basis of meeting grade requirements. |
| A-Level | Grades AAB at A-Level. This must include A-Level Chemistry. |
| IB | International Baccalaureate Diploma with a minimum of 35 points overall, including 6,6,5 from three Higher Level subjects. This must include Chemistry at Higher Level. |
| BTEC | BTEC qualifications are not considered for entry to this programme. |
| Access HE | We consider applications from students with the Access to Higher Education Diploma in a science discipline e.g. Biology, Chemistry, Maths or Physics. The minimum academic requirement is to achieve 60 credits overall, with 45 credits at Level 3, of which 30 credits must be at Distinction and 15 credits at Merit or higher. Applications are considered on a case by case basis, and we may request an interview. Due to the high volume of applications, we do not make offers of study purely on the basis of meeting grade requirements. |
| GCSE | Minimum five GCSE passes including English and Maths at grade C or 4. |
| EPQ | Alternative offers may be made to applicants taking the Extended Project Qualification. For further information please visit: qmul.ac.uk/undergraduate/entry/epq |
| Contextualised admissions | We consider every application on its individual merits and will take into consideration your individual educational experiences and context. More information on how academic schools and programmes use this information as part of the admissions process, can be found on our contextualised admissions pages. |
| A-Level | Grades ABB at A-Level. This must include A-Level Chemistry. |
| IB | International Baccalaureate Diploma with a minimum of 34 points overall, including 6,5,5 from three Higher Level subjects. This must include Chemistry at Higher Level. |
| BTEC | BTEC qualifications are not considered for entry to this programme. |
| Access HE | We consider applications from students with the Access to Higher Education Diploma in a science discipline e.g. Biology, Chemistry, Maths or Physics. The minimum academic requirement is to achieve 60 credits overall, with 45 credits at Level 3, of which 30 credits must be at Distinction and 15 credits at Merit or higher. Applications are considered on a case by case basis, and we may request an interview. Due to the high volume of applications, we do not make offers of study purely on the basis of meeting grade requirements. |
| GCSE | Minimum five GCSE passes including English and Maths at grade C or 4. |
| EPQ | Alternative offers may be made to applicants taking the Extended Project Qualification. For further information please visit: qmul.ac.uk/undergraduate/entry/epq |
| Contextualised admissions | We consider every application on its individual merits and will take into consideration your individual educational experiences and context. More information on how academic schools and programmes use this information as part of the admissions process, can be found on our contextualised admissions pages. |
| A-Level | Grades AAB at A-Level. This must include A-Level Chemistry. |
| IB | International Baccalaureate Diploma with a minimum of 35 points overall, including 6,6,5 from three Higher Level subjects. This must include Chemistry at Higher Level. |
| BTEC | BTEC qualifications are not considered for entry to this programme. |
| Access HE | Access qualifications are not considered for entry to this programme. |
| GCSE | Minimum five GCSE passes including English and Maths at grade C or 4. |
| EPQ | Alternative offers may be made to applicants taking the Extended Project Qualification. For further information please visit: qmul.ac.uk/undergraduate/entry/epq |
| Contextualised admissions | We consider every application on its individual merits and will take into consideration your individual educational experiences and context. More information on how academic schools and programmes use this information as part of the admissions process, can be found on our contextualised admissions pages. |
| A-Level | Grades AAB at A-Level. This must include A-Level Chemistry. |
| IB | International Baccalaureate Diploma with a minimum of 35 points overall, including 6,6,5 from three Higher Level subjects. This must include Chemistry at Higher Level. |
| BTEC | BTEC qualifications are not considered for entry to this programme. |
| Access HE | Access qualifications are not considered for entry to this programme. |
| GCSE | Minimum five GCSE passes including English and Maths at grade C or 4. |
| EPQ | Alternative offers may be made to applicants taking the Extended Project Qualification. For further information please visit: qmul.ac.uk/undergraduate/entry/epq |
| Contextualised admissions | We consider every application on its individual merits and will take into consideration your individual educational experiences and context. More information on how academic schools and programmes use this information as part of the admissions process, can be found on our contextualised admissions pages. |
We accept a wide range of European and international qualifications in addition to A-levels, the International Baccalaureate and BTEC qualifications. Please visit International Admissions for full details.
Find out more about our English language entry requirements, including the types of test we accept and the scores needed for entry to the programme.
You may also be able to meet the English language requirement for your programme by joining a summer pre-sessional programme before starting your degree.
UK students accepted onto this course are eligible to apply for tuition fee and maintenance loans from Student Finance England or other government bodies.
Queen Mary offers a generous package of scholarships and bursaries, which currently benefits around 50 per cent of our undergraduates.
Scholarships are available for home, EU and international students. Specific funding is also available for students from the local area. International students may be eligible for a fee reduction. We offer means-tested funding, as well as subject-specific funding for many degrees.
Find out what scholarships and bursaries are available to you.
We offer specialist support on all financial and welfare issues through our Advice and Counselling Service, which you can access as soon as you have applied for a place at Queen Mary.
Take a look at our Student Advice Guides which cover ways to finance your degree, including:
Biochemistry graduates are in demand in the pharmaceutical, diagnostic and biotechnology industries. Many of our students go on to scientific careers, including clinical and laboratory work, postgraduate research or science education. Others transfer their skills into sectors such as marketing and finance.
92 per cent of our graduates are in work or further study within six months of graduation (DLHE 2016/17).
Recent Biochemistry graduates have been hired by:
The School of Biological and Chemical Sciences has a careers consultant, who can offer specialist advice and organise subject-specific events. We also have a dedicated internships coordinator.
The Queen Mary careers team can also offer:
Learn more about career support and development at Queen Mary.
Biochemistry - BSc (Hons)
Biochemistry with Year in Industry/Research - BSc (Hons)
Biochemistry with Year Abroad - BSc (Hons)
Biochemistry - MSci (Hons)
Biochemistry with Year Abroad - MSci (Hons)
The School of Biological and Chemical Sciences is a large and dynamic school with strong links to industry. We offer a stimulating and supportive learning experience.
You’ll experience inspirational teaching from high-calibre staff who are leaders in their field. According to the Research Excellence Framework, 87 per cent of our chemistry and 82 per cent of our biology research is either world-leading or internationally excellent. You’ll stay up to date with weekly departmental seminars on new research findings.
Thanks to our close teaching and research links, students have special opportunities for original investigative work with the Natural History Museum, ZSL London Zoo, Forest Enterprise and University of London’s Marine Biological Station at Millport in Scotland.
